as secretly very proud of his son's success
in that line.

So November came in with a week of chill, wet days, days when outdoor
practice meant handling a slippery ball and rolling about in puddles of
water, but which sent them in to supper with outrageous appetites.

Green Academy came and saw and conquered, Pottsville High School was
sent home beaten, Cedar Cove School was defeated by a single point--Jack
himself kicked the goal that did it--and lo, the schedule was almost at
an end, with only the big game of the season, that with Hammond, looming
up portentously ten days distant!

The whole school was football mad. Every afternoon of practice saw boys
and instructors on the field either playing or watching; only severe
illness kept a Ferry Hill student away from the field those days. Every
afternoon some graduate or other appeared in a faded brown sweater and
after watching practice awhile suddenly darted into the fracas and laid
down the law. And there were long and earnest consultations afterwards
between the grad and Jack and Mr. Cobb, and fellows who were not too
certain of their places trembled in their muddy shoes. And there were
changes, too, in the line-up, and more than one pair of muddy shoes
either went to the side-line or scuffled about with the second. But only
one of the changes became permanent; for Mr. Cobb had selected well. Roy
never forgot the day when Johnny King made his appearance.

It was just a week to a day before the Hammond game. Roy was one of the
first on the field that afternoon, but Jack and Mr. Cobb were ahead of
him, and with them was a big, broad-shouldered youth in his shirt
sleeves. Roy groaned in sympathy with the first team, knowing from
experience that they would have an unpleasant time of it. The grad had
the look of a chap who knew football, knew what he wanted and was bound
to have it. Then the players assembled, went through a few minutes of
catching and punting and signal line-up, and finally faced each other in
two eager, determined lines. Mr. Cobb blew his whistle and the first
came through the second for a yard outside of left tackle. By this time
Roy had learned the identity of the graduate, and when he could he
examined him with interest, remembering what Jack Rogers had told of the
last year's captain. For awhile King had little to say; he merely
followed the game as it went back and forth in the middle of the field.
Then came a try around the second's left end and